DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Toronto Blue Jays say Brett Cecil is moving in the right direction after experiencing left shoulder soreness early in spring training.
Cecil, the leading candidate to close games for the Blue Jays, threw approximately ten pitches off of a mound Saturday. He tentatively expects to be pitching in games within a week.
“Everything feels great. No discomfort whatsoever,” he said. “It’s like night and day.”
An MRI revealed shoulder inflammation a week ago this time, but treatment and strength work have helped Cecil in recent days. He resumed throwing off of flat ground this week before progressing to the mound Saturday.
“We don’t think it’s a big deal,” manager John Gibbons said.
The tentative timeline for Cecil calls for bullpen sessions Sunday and Wednesday followed by his Spring Training debut Saturday March 21. Ideally, the Blue Jays would like to see him get about six appearances before opening day April 6.
The season-ending ACL injury suffered by Marcus Stroman could push Aaron Sanchez to the rotation in which case Cecil could close. But he says his eventual role doesn’t impact his preparation.
“Would I like to be the closer? Absolutely,” he said. “[But] being in the ‘pen as far as I’m concerned you should prepare that way anyway.”
EDWIN STILL SIDELINED: Edwin Encarnacion’s back tightness continues to limit his movements, so he isn’t about to return to games just yet. Gibbons said Encarnacion could DH within four or five days … Dioner Navarro, who had been dealing with knee soreness, is expected to DH Sunday.